The sprinter became just the fourth British athlete to run under 10 seconds in the 100m - faster than the Olympic Champions has managed this season

Das the way to do it: Dasaolu clocked 9.91secs in Birmingham (Photo: Stu Forster)

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James Dasaolu demonstrated yesterday that he will be a serious medal contender at next month’s IAAF World Championships – by ­running faster than Usain Bolt!

On the hottest day of the year, amid conditions that were ideal for sprinting, the 25-year-old from ­Surrey became just the fourth British athlete to run under 10 seconds in the 100m – posting a mark quicker than the Jamaican gold medallist has achieved this season.

His sensational 9.91secs in his semi-final heat was the fastest on British soil by a home runner.

Dasaolu said: “To ­finally crack that magical number of sub-10, especially in front of a home crowd, was brilliant. The conditions were lovely for me.

“I’m now fourth in the world. I’m in a good place. We know that Bolt will bring his ‘A’ game to ­Moscow.

“But I want to challenge the Americans and the best guys in the world.

“To do that, I’ll have to run sub-10s regularly.”

Temperatures may have hit 30 degrees, but there was nothing hotter at the Sainsbury’s British Championships in Birmingham than the Croydon Harrier.

Dasaolu is now second on the UK list – 0.04secs ­behind Linford Christie’s national record of 9.87secs set 20 years ago in Stuttgart – and just ahead of Dwain Chambers and Jason Gardener, the other two to dip below 10 seconds.

Better than Bolt: Dasaolu bettered any of the Olympic Champion's times this season (Photo: Getty)

European indoor 60m silver medallist Dasaolu added: “I can’t be too greedy, but my coach and I want to save my best ­until the major champs.

“I won by three to four metres. With more ­competition, I like to ­believe I can go quicker.

“It would be a dream to hold the British record one day – but I have to work harder in training.”

His scorching performance took so much out of his body that he was forced to pull out of the final because of cramp.

In his ­absence, Chambers won in a time of 10.04 to ­secure his spot on the plane to Moscow.

The remaining position will be decided by British Athletics performance director Neil Black, with Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Joel Fearon and the new European Under-23 100m champion Adam Gemili all vying for selection.

In the women’s 100m, Asha Philip achieved a lifetime best – her mark of 11.20 was ­inside the World Championship A qualifying mark.

Tiffany Porter also confirmed her place by winning the 100m hurdles.

Meanwhile, Rhys Williams has made it a Welsh one-two in Moscow by securing his place in the men’s 400m hurdles.

The 29-year-old from Cardiff – the son of ­rugby union legend JJ Williams – was 0.19secs ­behind winner Dai Greene, but has ­confirmed his spot ­because the Swansea Harrier is ­an automatic selection as the reigning World champion. ­Williams (above), who ran 48.85secs, paid ­tribute to his rival.

He said: “The better man won out there.

“Fair play to Dai – you can see why he’s the World champ. He’s the man I need to beat. I need to run faster.”